Christmas 2010

As if our family vacation was not enough (see previous post)I made the fabulous decision to take us all up to Tammy's house for Christmas this year and surprise my sister. Ten hours in the car with 2 kids, 3 adults and a 10 week old puppy (X's 2 that would be 10 hours ... each way). We survived as is apparent of this post. On Christmas day there were 8 kids to open gifts and 11 adults. Pretty full house, beds full end to end and wrapping paper everywhere. The noise level LOUD and yes Tammy was surprised.

Amanda stashing a few last minute gifts under the tree.

Tammy, Maima and Grandma all checking out some gifts.

Christmas morning Bubbles getting the first wrapper off.


Travis giving Grandma a hug

Of course once you get a piece of wrapper off you must eat it!Duh!

Maddie giving Akins a helping paw.

Tyler in his football gear! He is ready now!

A sample of the chaos - wall to wall bodies!

Gotta get a little play time in too!

After all of this you just got to take a nap!

Vacation Recap 2010

Family vacation. Who's idea was this exactly? I would love to meet this person and try to get a really good understanding of the sadistic mindset that led to this annual tradition. Family vacation, set to the tone of relaxing, fun and exciting. Is really, stressful, tiring and for kids like mine over stimulating and therefore CRAZY! We went to the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana boasts beautiful white sand beaches and tranquil tourquoise water. This is the extent of the relaxing part of the trip. The rest was frought with a pouting temperament by one child or the other at any given time. Lorea and I vowed this to be the last family vacation for a while. We would rather reward Grandma monetarily in a large sum and go on a couple only vacation next year. Here are a few of the better moments of the trip and when I look back at these it would appear that we had a blast. I have not gone through child birth (one obvious reason to adopt) but I am guessing family vacation is much like giving birth. The pain of the moment fades with time.


Enjoying the pool.

Akins skipping off for a dip.

Akins first stop the swim up bar for a cool one.

Akins always makes friends and speaks the international language of PLAY

Maima is a typical pre-teen and can sleep any time of the day any where

Akins always finds coconuts and is plotting how to open it

We rented buggies and spent half the day getting really dirty!

How on earth he could sleep during this is a question never to be answered

Okay slightly awake again!

Cruisin' on down the road!

We all made a friend

Had to make a quick stop at Wal-Mart

Everyone but Lorea took a nice cool swim in the cave

The kids loved it!

Again he sleeps. This time at dinner.

He finds another coconut!

The evening shows were especially fun. Akins getting in on the action.

Dinner on the beach.

Puppy Kisses and Vacation

As I stated in the last post my heart has been damaged by the loss of my little, white, swimming friend. There is a book called "Chicken Soup for the Soul". Well I have a new one that needs to be written "Puppy Kisses are the Chicken Soup for the Soul". I've lost two dogs in the past few months Zach and Dolly. Beans is nearly 12 and Canola is almost 10. This is a big number in dog years but even more so in Bulldog years. The average life of an English Bulldog is 8. The problem is Dolly's life did not fall in order and it made it very clear to me that I need to continue to prepare for more losses. So.... here comes Bubbles! That's right a bundle of softness and the bonus points? Beans is acting like a puppy all over again. She is loving this new little kid.




Now we are off to the Dominican Republic for vacation some much needed R&R. Grandma good luck with the little one.




Maima: Grandma where are your ice cubes? (looking all around the kitchen)
Grandma: Where do you think they would be?
Maima: Oh (finally going to the refrigerator)

"Our Baby" - Dolly 12/8/02 - 11/26/10

Upon returning home from Calgary I noted Dolly showed significant weight loss. I made an appointment for her within a couple of days of returning home. Exam showed six pounds lost, blood work indicated liver infection or liver failure. The vet sent her home with antibiotics and some pain meds. We were hopeful. Thanksgiving day we sat at the dinner table at my Mom's house and each stated the things were were thankful for:

Akins: For you two being loco
Mom: For being alive
Maima: For school and good grades
Lorea: For having a job to help take care of us
Valerie: For two beautiful, smart kids, for my mom being alive, for a great job that takes good care of us, for my health and for the dogs

We came home from that meal to note that Dolly had seemingly bloated out in her abdomen. I took time to get her to take some water. Fed her hot dogs the only thing she would eat. For those that have met Dolly, you know this is not usual as she would eat anything.

This morning it was even worse her ears drooping and she could barely lift herself. Even still her tail, that cute little crooked tail wagged any time I came near. For years I have sang "the tail on the dog goes round and round" because that is how it seemed, like it was spinning in a circle. I called the vet immediately. As soon as the vet took a look at Dolly, the words no treatment, no cure were said several times. After a few more tests to be sure it was not heartworm (this too untreatable). I needed to be 100% sure this was not due to me forgetting to give that monthly pill right on time. The final blow, 99% certain it is liver failure due to cancer. The bloating, the high liver count, we had ruled out right side heart failure. There were no good choices. Do some really invasive tests to know for sure but still there would be no pain free, reliable treatment. Our best choices, "We can try to make her comfortable or.....".

I knew it was bad, I just did not know I was taking "our baby" in to say good-bye forever. I feel like someone punched me really hard in the chest and I can't get that feeling to leave me. Her bed lies empty, the toy box upright which she never left that for any legth of time, as she knocked it over in her quest for just the right toy, the house eerily quiet without her constant loud breathing, paws dragging on the floor, snoring somewhere off in the distance.

To put the love for this dog in perspective for anyone that does not know me closely. I remember when we were waiting for Akins to come home from Liberia. That horrible forever wait (fellow adoptive paretns you know the wait I am referring to). I remember saying to Lorea as I watched Dolly being well... Dolly just darn cute. "If I love that little boy even half as much as I love this dog, we are in big trouble".

Below are a few photos of Dolly taken this morning just a couple of hours before we left the house. I was playing with my new phone. I don't even know why I took those photos, I'm just so glad I did.

Returning from Canada

I got home late last night from my trip up to Calgary. I picked up some shirts for the kids and Lorea. This morning Akins comes to the bedroom with shirt in tow.

Akins: Thanks for the shirt Mommy.
Me: Your welcome honey.
Akins: What does it say?
Me: It says Canada on it.
Akins: What is this?
Me: It's the Canadian flag.
Akins: What is it?
Me: It's a maple leaf.
Akins: Oh, like when something is fake it is a make believe.
Me: Giggle, no honey, it is a "maple leaf" not "make believe".
Akins: Yeah, fake.


Priceless!

It's official!

Get up early to make the two hour drive to Okalahoma City. The destination? Department of Homeland Security. Now we love to tease the kids about nearly anything. So on the way I tell Maima this is an important day this is to get your U.S. Citizenship and maybe you can shake Obama's hand. We arrive about five minutes early to our appointment, after a couple of additonal requests to empty our pockets we get our way through security we are told to go to room #1 and put our appointment letter in the box at window #3 then take a seat and "they will call you sometime". I'm thinking we will be here forever.

To my surprise the man at window #2 gets up nearly immediately and calls Maima's name. We go up he hands me a certificate with Maima's name and photograph on it and ask me to review it very closely. I am pleased to note they have her new name and birth date all correct. Then he instructs me to fill in "printed, very legibly", her full name on this line, then on the edge of the photograph, then on the back. If you have ever seen my handwriting you would understand why I talk about this in detail. At one point he puts his hand on my arm and says breathe and take your time it must be perfect. Alas, done no mistakes it is unbelivably legible. I breathe another sigh.

Then he hands me another certificate identical to the first one and says, "okay this is the real one, again take your time do not make any mistakes". GREAT! Again, I go through all the steps without error. He gives a big grin and reaches to shake Maima's hand, she had slept in the van and is acting completely disinterested and nearly disrespectful. He hands her an American flag and hands me the certificate and a protective certificate holder. We are done and Maima is officially a U.S. Citizen. We stop to use the restroom and then outside I run to get the camera to take a picture. Maima is nearly refusing to take the photo, still disinterested. A man comes out, obviously Hispanic he walks over and he looks at me, our eyes meet and he smiles. He wants to watch the photo being taken commemorating this proud moment. I can tell he longs for this moment for himself.

Finally, I get a shot and we head to the car. Then I apologize to Maima for not fully explaining the importance of the event. I go into a detailed explaination of how this means she can never be forced to leave America and how people like the man that watched work very hard to get that paper, people run and risk their lives to get into the country and pray they never get caught. How for some people it is all the dream of to be a U.S. Citizen. After about 10 minutes she says "Mommy, where was Obama"?

So, four round trip driving hours and about 9 minutes inside the building Maima is officially a U.S. Citizen and we never did see Obama.

Off to a Halloween Party

This year was like a 3 day long Halloween event. Friday night a party. Saturday trick or treating at the nursing home (big deal here in little Inola) and Sunday (offical Halloween day) we trick or treated with friends in Grandma's neighborhood.


Iron Man, Dr. Pepper, Cheerleader and Winter Bat Girl


Iron Man!

Grandma getting in on the action - maybe cheer coach?

Maima showing us her cheer moves

Bet the folks thought they had been invaded when this group came a knockin'

Maima's 1st Pumpkin

For the typical American getting your first pumpkin at the age of 12 would seem like someone really left you out. For Maima age 12 is the magic number she got to carve her first pumpkin this year! Of course it would not be complete if it did not somehow include Justin Bieber.



J's for eyes... B for the mouth and a heart nose!

JDRF Walk for a Cure

This morning we got up bright and early and took the kids out to do a walk for good! Explaining to Akins the greatness of walking early in the morning is well, let's just say a challenge. We did it and after realizing there was a whole lot of fun stuff to do the kids had a very good time!

The sun was shining it was a beautiful morning!

Akins finding a way to blow some time before the walk starts

The big football toss

Gotta love "Fred"

Akins turns 6!!!

It's seems unbelievable but it is true... Akins turned six years old. He has a friend on his soccer team that always has his birthday party the same day. For the past couple of years we have overlapped party times causing some of the party goers a conflict. We decided to join forces this year and have the party at a skating rink and invite both sets of friends (some combined) and it worked out great! Here are some of the highlights..


Following the instructions to Grandma's card! Stand on your head!

Pick your nose. He was just about to drink the toilet water when he realized..... OH!!!

How old are you????

Crawling the preferred method of getting across the "slippery floor"

The challenge included tears, anger and frustration

His cake was in the spirit of riding his quad

Maima chickened out and did not skate

Wiggly races

Cole got the last fake rock from the cake

The frenzy

In the end we conquer this challenge!


Mommy: Akins good morning Happy Birthday. Guess what? You are six years old now!
Akins: I know I'm almost seven!
Mommy: Okay, yes in 364 more days you will be seven.


Mommy: Maima why do you not do the fun things you are letting your life pass you by.
Maima: I still have a good life. I am just twelve!